HIKE 4 - Bonham State Park
Trail: Bois d’Arc, Lake Loop
Date: Saturday, 01/25/2020
Distance: 2 miles
Distance From Home: 82 miles
Weather: Warm, sunny, slight wind
Trail Notes: Trail markings very complicated
I was on a mission to check off a couple of state parks the weekend of January 25th and this one happened to be on the scenic way home from another one. The sky was mostly gray, with patches of blue and sun, but I wasn’t going to let that bother me. Initially, the sign at the gate said the trails were closed. I figured, I was already hear, so I might as well see if there was a paved path so I could check it off my quest list. The ranger at the front desk told me the trails were closed to mountain bikes, but not feet, so we set out looking for a path through the woods.
Chewy the dog and I started out on the Bois D’Arc trail, but quickly became confused because the signage was all for the mountain bikes and not really at all for hikers. I made my way though the woods and did see the two CCC gathering areas, but not much else. We ended up back on the road and made the executive decision to walk the Lake Loop path. The path wound through the trees and vines and had one lake view and a bridge of a swamp. It was a lovely trail that went around the lake, on and off, with the help of the main road. Two miles was all I could muster, so we headed back to the car and made our way home. The park is fine, the campground is ok, and the terrain is typical. If I lived nearby, I’d surly visit this place often, but it’s 80+ miles away and not worth the drive when Dinosaur Valley is the same distance and much more interesting.
If you’re in the area, check it out, if not, maybe just check it out anyway - all of the state parks are worth seeing at least once. Happy trails!
